Knitting mechanism



Dec. 26. 1933. HE. HOUSEMAN 1,941,092.

KNITTING MECHANISM Original Fiied Aug. 8, 19:50 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 QDDD DUDE! on Gun nut DIJDUUDCIU ur: an

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' W/rA/Ess- Dec. 26, 1933. H. E. HOUSEMAN 1,941,092

KNITTING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 26,1933 H. E. HOUSEMAN 1,941,092

KNITTING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug; 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 B I62 /90 8g Patented Dee. as, 1933 pairs' TA-TES, PATENT ori ice I 1,941,092 KNITTING MECHANISM.

Harold EfHouseman, Edge Moor, DeL, .assignor. to Standard-Trump Bros. Machine Company, Wilmington, Dela a corporation of Delaware Original application August 8,1930, Serial No. 473,849. Divided and this application May 14, 1931. Serial No. 537,286 v 16 Claims, (01. 66-47) This invention relates to a knitting machine and specifically to a machine in which fingers are provided to Wrap yarns about needles, certain phases of the invention relating to the proper control of this wrapping operation. 7

In the production of wrap'efie'cts' by causing fingers to present yarns to the needles so that they are stitched into the fabrictogether with the main yarn to produce striped. or figured effects, it is customary to render the wrap fingers inoperative during the formation of the heel and toe of hosiery, or at such'other times in the operation of the machine when it may be desired to eliminate the production of stripesor figures.

In the formation of the foot, it is desirable, in;

order to retain proper appearancewhen' the hosiery is worn with low shoes, to continue the wrap pattern over the top of the "foot. On the other hand it is desirable to discontinue the pattern'at the bottom of the foot. I i g 7 it is one object of the invention to accomplish the result just outlined in a relatively simple fashion without undue modification of thest'and ard machine.

It is a further object of the invention to tie up this mechanism with the needie leveling mechanism in asimplified manner. Y

In machines in which the stitch cams and as; sociated parts are rotated about a stationary circle of needles, it is difiicult to control the operations of the parts. It is another 'object of the invention to provide simialeineans for eifecting the control of such operations. "More specifically it is the object of one phase of the invention to provide a unitary mechanism for effecting control of both the lowering picker and a switch cam; Further objects of the invention relating par ticularly to advantageous details of construction, will be apparent from thefollowing description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: a

Fig. l is an elevation,-partly'in section, of the parts of a machine embodying the inventionadjacent the top of the needle cylinder;

Fig. Zn; 2. plan view of the various cams and showing the Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing certain controlling cams and explanatoryv of the oper-. ation; and. v

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a stocking illustrating various phasesof the operation.

The features of the invention are illustrated as embodied in a knittingm'achine comprising a stationary needle cylinder and'in which the supply of knitting yarn is rotated for the presentationof the yarn to the needles. Whilea machine of thistype is desirable When'it is desired to control the formation of a pattern by manipulation of a large'number of wrap fingers, since the supplies of yarn for the fingers may be stationary, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various features of the invention may be equally well appliedto rotary needle machines.

The machine which is shown is of the type illustrated in my applications Serial Nos. 422,818 and e27,709,'filed, respectively, January 23, 1930 and February 12, 1930, the mechanism of either I of these applications being used to impart shogging movements to the wrap fingers. The machine also embodies .the Wrap finger controlling mechanism illustrated and claimed in the applicationof Stanley R. Shelmire, Serial No. 469,056, filed July 19, 1930. r j A Referring specifically to the drawings, there is illustrated at 2 a stationary needle cylinder of usual construction provided withvertical slots in which long buttneedles' 4 and short butt needles 5 are reciprocated in the conventional knit-v ting wave by suitable rotating cams, other r0- tating cams serving to'operate the cooperating sinkers slidably mountedin the stationarysinker dial 6. A rotating latch ring 12 serves to guide the main yarnor yarns 16 to the needles, the yarn passingthrough slot 14 therein. This latch ring, together with the cams and other rotating parts iscarried by'the cam ring 8, driven in the usual manner through a gear 10 by suitable mechanism to rotate during the formation of the.

leg and foot of hosiery'and to oscillate during the formation of the heel and toe.

Above the needle cylinder is the wrap finger cylinder 18 carried by the spindle 20 which is both slidably mounted in the frame, so that the fingers 24-may be lifted out of cooperation-with the needles and alsorotatably mounted therein so that the fingers maybe shogged to cooperate with various needles with the, resultant production of elaborate patterns. The arrangement whereby lifting and shO ging 'of the cylinder is effected may be of the'type illustrated in my applications above mentioned. A bracket 22 serves to guide and form a bearing for the flange provided at the upper end of cylinder 18 to maintain the wrap fingers 24 in proper relationship with their actuating mechanism as described in the Shelmire application referred to above. The wrap fingers, provided with suitable thread eyes, are oscillatably mounted in the usual fashion in slots in cylinder 18 being held in position by a retaining spring hand. To procure very elaborate designs there may be as many threaded fingers as there are needles. Generally, however, there will be a smaller number in operation, certain fingers being either absent or unthreaded.

Each of the wrap fingers 24 is provided with a series of butts 26 selected ones of which may be broken out according to the usual practice for the production of designs. Adapted tocooperate with the butts are earns 28 in the form of a series of levers, corresponding in number to the number of butts. These cams are moved selectively against the action of springs 36 into position to engage the butts 26 by butts carried by a trick wheel 30 which is intermittently stepped around by a pawl 34 which cooperates with a ratchet 32 thereon. The cam levers 28 are pivoted on an upright common pin carried by a lever 38 which is positioned by a cam 40 to move all of the levers together to inoperative position or locate them so as to act on the wrap fingers as may be determined by the butts on the trick wheel. The cam 49 is carried by the upper end of a shaft 42 carrying a follower lever 44 having a pin and slot connection With another follower lever 46 located in a lower plane. The trick wheel, lever 38,

shaft 42 and lever 46 are all carried by a bracket 9 mounted on'cam ring 8.

The levers 44 and 46, and also a follower serving to actuate pawl 34, are acted upon by a disc 45 slidable vertically in a fixed part of the frame against the action of a spring by a lever 47 which 'is under the control of a pattern chain. All of this mechanism here outlined is more fully described and claimed in the Shelmire application mentioned above to which reference may be made for a more complete description. This mechanism is referred to herein since, as will be later appreciated, it is explanatory of certain features of operation of the mechanism claimed herein.

The lever 38, which carries cam levers 28, also carriesa wrap finger return cam 48.

In order to move the needles through the proper wave to effect the formation of stitches there areprovided cams carried by the cam ring 8 and adapted to cooperate with the needle butts. These cams include the'stationary cams 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 and the movable cams 62, 64 and 66. These cams are shown in operative positions, developed and diagrammatically, in Fig. 4. In this figure the zones at which various events in the wave occur are designated at 68 clearing of the latches by the loops occurs, the needles being raised for this purpose; at '70 wrapping takes place; at '72 the needles take the yarn 16; and at '74 the previously formed loops are cast oif.

Taking up first the mounting of cam 64, reference to Figs. 2 and 3 will show this cam as carried by a slide '76 radially movable in a member carried by the cam ring 8. The slide is urged inwardly to bring the cam 64 into its operative position by a spring '78. An adjustable contact screw is carried by the outer end of the slide. A member 82 rigidly carried by the slide has two steps 84 and 86 adapted to engage a pin 88 carurged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in plan, by a spring 94. An adjustable contact screw 96 is carried by the lever.

An arcuate cam 98 is carried by the upper end of a lever 99 pivoted to the frame of the machine at 100 and having a cam following end 102 arranged to cooperate with cams on the main cam disc of the machine as will be described later. The cam 98 may engage either contact 80 or 96, or may pass freely between them.

The slide '76 carries an abutment 104 which may engage the screw 106 threaded in an arm 108 pivoted on bracket 92 at 110 and urged by a spring 112 to a position, determined by a stop 116, in which the cam 62 is in its active position. If at this time the slide '76 is in its innermost position, the abutment 104 is spaced from screw 106 so that the slide may move to some extent outwardly without moving the cam 62.

The cam 66 is carried by a slide 118 similar to slide '76 and also mounted similarly for radial movement. This slide, however, is providedwith an element 119 having but one step 120 engageable by a pin 122 on lever 124 which is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 125. The lever 124 and slide 118 carry abutment screws 128 and 130 respectively adapted to cooperate with cam 98.

Raising pickers 132 and 134 of the usual type extend inwardly above cams 64 and 66 as illustrated.

A pivoted lowering picker 136 is also carried by the cam ring 8. Extending above this picker is the end of a lever 138 pivoted at 140 to an upstanding bracket and urged by a spring 142 to bring an adjustable follower screw 144 carried thereby into engagement with either cam surface 146 or 148 on a sliding block 150. As shown in Fig. '7 the block 150 is guided for arcuate sliding movement by engagement with an arcuately grooved member 152 fixed to the cam ring 8. Pivoted at 156 to the block 150 is a member 154 which is acted on by a spring 158 urging it in a clockwise direction to a limiting position, determined by the upper surface of ring 8, at which time a pin 160, carried by a bracket 162, extends directly over its upper surface and as shown in Fig. 6, prevents any counter-clockwise movement. The upper surface is provided with a depression 164. The member 154 is held downwardly by spring 158 to maintain its end 165 extending through a slot in the ring 8 whereby cam surface 166 or either shoulder 168 or 1'70 formed thereon may engage the upper end of a pin 1'72 if the pin is raised against the action of spring 1'74 by cams 1'76, 178, 180, 182, 184 or 186 carried by the main cam disc 1'75. The pin 1'72 is slidable in a fixed part of the machine frame and occupies the position shown in Fig. 2 relative to the cam 98.

A pin 188 engages either the end of block B or rides on its surface 146, being carried by a shaft 190 mounted in bracket 162' and carrying the switch cam 192. A pin 194 extending through a slot 196 in the bracket effects inward or outing long and short butts, respectively, each extending halfway about the circle. The long butt needles are adapted to form the front of the stocking and the short butt needles the back.

The main cam disc carries, besides the other usual cams, two concentrically arranged series: one consisting of cams 176-186 adapted to act on plunger 172, and the other consisting ofcams 200, 202, 204, 206 and208 adapted to act on the follower lever 102 (Fig; 3). These series are illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8 in which they are shown in developed form relatively displaced about 160 so as to bring those portions acting at the same time into vertical alignment. Their actual positions are, of course, such as to produce properly timed operations of plunger 1'72 and follower lever 102 which are approximately diametrically opposite each other. The successive zones relative to the cams occu pied simultaneously by the plunger and follower lever are designated in Fig. 8 by letters. The periods in the formation of the stocking are cor-- respondingly designated in Fig. 9. The wrap design is illustrated in a simple and conventional manner at z in Fig. 9, it being understood, of course, that the wrap design normally produced by the machine is of elaborate character.

In the operation or" the machine, assuming the formation of the leg portion of a stocking, the plunger 172 and lever 102 will rest on the cam surface in zone a. The block 150 will occupy the position shown in Fig. 6, lever1138 being removed from picker 136 which will'be in raised position, and switchcam 192 being raised. Slides 76 and 118 will be in their inner positions and accordingly cains62, 64 and 66 will also be in their innermost positions. Accordingly, both the long and short butt needles are operating, the butts following the path indicated by the dash line w. At this time the cam 40 will be positioned to hold lever 38' so that the cam-levers 28 and thereturn cam 48 cooperate with the wrap fingers, the trick wheel 30 being stepped around under the action of the pawl 34 which is operated according to the positions of the disc 45 which occupies its two upper positions selectively under the action of a pattern chain. During this period the picker 132 rides on the needle butts in the usual manner. The wrapping of yarns'about needles by the wrap fingers takes place as they move up- .wardly over cam 64.

It is desirable to-stop the wrapping at the rear of the stocking while continuing wrapping at the front prior to the formation of the heel. To effect this, cam disc 1'75 moves to bring zone b into operation whereupon cam 200jmoves the cam 98 outwardly to engage screw 80. (In the position determined by cam 200, screw 130 isnot engaged.) .As a result slide '76 is moved outwardly so' that pin 88 may engage step 84. Immediately after this operation cam disc 1'75 is again moved to bring zone 0 into operation and permitting follower lever 102 to drop upon cam 202 which holds cam 98 in an outerposition but not so far out that they will not take the yarns from the wrap fingers. The wrap pattern therefore stops at'this time. Theoutward movement of slide '76 to the extent just outlined will not withdraw the cam 62 because of the clearance between104 and 106.

the cam 64 now rests is Simultaneously'with the change from rotation to oscillation various events occur. The cam disc 175 moves to bring'zone d into operation. This causes cam 176 to act on plunger 172'moving it upward to the limit of its stroke. During the forward movement of cam ring 8 prior to its reversal,,it carries the cam surface 166 of element 165 into engagement with the plunger. Since the element 165 is restrained from pivoting upward by pin 160 it isheld back during continued movement of the cam ring and parts fixed thereto until depression. 164 passes beneath pin 160 whereupon element 165 pivots upwardly clearing pin 172 and then dropping into its original position under the action of spring 158. The relative movement-of slide 150 and the cam ring as the slide'is' thus retarded, will cause follower 144 to ride upon surface 148 and follower 188 to .ride upon surface 146.

The switch cam .192 will accordingly move downwardly and outwardly, due to the action of pin 19% in slot 196, and all of the long butt needles will be raised to inactive position, the short butt needles remaining active. Picker 132 will drop into the gap in the line of butts left by the movement of the long butt needles so as to be ready for action.

It will be recalled that heretofore picker 136 was in' upper position where it was inactive because of "the absence of raised needles. It'is now necessary for a time to maintain it inactive while there are raised needles and accordingly lever 138 acts, in riding on earn 148., to lower it to an inactive levelbetween the levels of the butts of the active and inactive needles.

Simultaneously with the above disc 45 will have been lowered by a cam not shown on the cam disc to be engaged by lever 44 whereby the cam levers 28 are thrown out of action as a unit. At the same time the follower lever 102 rides off cam 202 upon 115 the cam disc whereby cam 98 moves into position to engage screw 96 tripping the latch 90 and permitting cam 64 to move inwardly against'any butts which may at the time be in its path and then to move further to its operative position upon its passage therebeyond. "Since the wrap fingers are all inoperative at this time, owing to the withdrawal of cam levers 28, the reactivation of cam 64 will not at this timeproduce any wrapping action. 1

' Immediately after the action of pin 172 011 element 165 is completed, the disc 175 again turns bringing zone 6 to active position and permitting the pin todrop out'of the path of 165.

The oscillation of the cams now proceeds with the operation of pickers 132 and 134 to take the needles out of action one at a time thereby effecting the narrowing for the heel.

When the narrcwing is completed, the disc 1'75 again moves bringing zcnef to operative position and causing cam 178 to raise plungergl72 to an intermediate position at a time when element 165 is to its left as viewed vin Fig. 6. As the ring 8 moves to the"right during its oscillation, the shoulder 1'70 rides over a pin 172 but the shoulder 168 engages it whereupon the block. is re- 188 does not rideofi the end (if-surface 1463, re-- maining thereon to hold the switch cam 192 lowered.

The withdrawal'o'f lever. 132 from picker 136,150

as it rocks, permits the picker to rise to its operative position whereupon it commences to restore the inactive needles to active position two at a time while the pickers 132 and 134 continue to raise them one at a time in the usual fashion. The widening of the heel pocket is thus accomplished. Immediately after the action of the pin 172 on 168, the cam disc 1'75 again moves so that the pin drops from cam 1'78 in zone 9'. The pin could, of course, be kept in its partially raised position since so long as oscillation continued it would effect no further result.

At the end of the widening operation, disc 1'75 again moves causing cam 180, in zone h, to ride under pin 1'72. When this occurs pin 172 is again moved to its uppermost position so that shoulder 170 engages the pin during the last oscillation of the cam ring. Since 170 is an advance of 168, it will be seen that the block 150 will be moved further rearwardly relative tothe cam ring to the extreme end of its stroke, whereupon follower 188 drops off surface 146 and the switch cam 192 is raised, moving inwardly so that during the next reverse movement (the first rotation) all of the long butt needles and any of the short butt needles which remain raised will be lowered to active position.

As soon as the pin 172 performs its function of retarding the block 150, the disc 175 again moves bringing zone 1' to operative position. Pin 1'72 drops off cam 180. At the same time earn 204, of the same height as cam 200, rides under lever 102, producing retraction of cam 64 so as to again render the short butt needles inoperative to take yarns from the wrap fingers.

Simultaneously with this action, the disc 45 assumes a position in the path of lever 46whereby the cam levers 28 are again restored to activity. As a result the wrap pattern continues on the .top of the foot from the point when it left off at the beginning of the oscillations' On the other hand the pattern is omitted from the bottom of the foot.

As soon as pin is acted upon by cam 98, the disc 175 moves another step to bring zone 7' into activity, the cam 206 performing the same function as cam 202. This position is maintained during the knitting of the foot.

At the completion of the foot and at the change from rotation to oscillation, the same operations are repeated as took place at the formation of the heel pocket; that is, zones k, Z, m, n, and 0 move successively into action, the results being the same as those effected by zones d, e, f, g, and h. The cam levers 28 are rendered inoperative at a corresponding time.

After the completion of the toe, the disc 175 again moves bringing zone 12 into operation. This permits pin 172 to drop. Rotation occurs during this period with the formation of plain courses, the fingers being inoperative due to continued retraction of cam levers 23, the trick wheel idly stepping around to the beginning of the pattern in the manner fully described in the said Shelmire application.

After the knitting of the plain courses and just prior to the stopping of the machine, the leveling operation takes place. This is eifected by the movement of cam disc 175 to bring zone q into operation. The cam 208, higher than cams 200 and 204, moves cam 98 outwardly so that it is engaged by both follower screws 80 and 130. By its action on the first, it retracts slide '76 so that pin 88 engages step 86. In this extreme position, both cams 62 and 64 are moved outwardly so as to fail to engage both the long and short needle butts. Likewise cam 66 is fully retracted and is held by engagement of pin 122 with step 120. As a result, the circle of needles .is leveled so that the knitted stocking may be removed and a ribbed top placed on the needles for attachment to the next stocking.

At the beginning of the next stocking, the disc 175 again moves bringing zone a into operation. This permits cam 98 to move inwardly tripping both latches 90 and 124 whereupon the cams 62, 64 and 66 drop against the needle butts, moving fully inwardly to operative position as the long butts come around in the usual fashion. At the same time the cam levers 23 are restored to operative condition for the beginning of the pattern.

While the invention has been described in its application to a machine having a stationary circle of needles and rotating and oscillating knitting cams, it will be obvious that the features thereof may be readily applied to machines having stationary cams and a rotating circle of needles without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will also be obvious that numerous details of construction may be changed within the scope of the invention.

This application is a division of my application, Serial Number 473,849, filed August 8, 1930.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A knitting mechanism including a circle of needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, driving means for producing successively relative rotation and relative oscillation of the needles and certain devices during a cycle of knitting, said devices including a lowering picker and a switch cam, a member movable relatively to the lowering picker and switch cam and adapted in relative movement in one direction, to move the picker to an inoperative position between the levels of the butts of active and inactive needles and move the switch cam to render.

the long butt needles inactive, and in relative movement in the opposite direction to first render the picker operative and then, in further relative movem nt in the same direction, to move the switch cam to lower inactive needles.

2. A knitting mechanism including a stationary circle of needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element, driving means for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting element about the needles, said devices carried by the supporting element including a slide movable circumferentially of the supporting element, and a member arranged to occupy selected fixed positions relative to the needle circle and arranged to be engaged by the slide whereby relative movement between the slide and supporting element occurs.

3. A knitting mechanism including a stationary circle of needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element, driving means for producing successive rotation and. oscillation of the supporting element about the needles, said devices carried by the supporting element including a slide having two shoulders and a member movable into one position to engage one of the shoulders of the slide to move it a predetermined distance relative to the supporting element and movable to another 1,941,09 position to engage the other shoulder of the slide v to move it a greaterdistance. r

4. A knitting mechanism including a stationary circle of needles, including .both long and short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element, driving means .ior producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting element about 'ary circle of needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices. cooperatingtherewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element, driving means for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supportingfelement about theneedles, said devices carried by the support-. ing element including a slide movable circumferentially of the supporting element, a lowering picker, and connections between the lowering picker and slide whereby the picker may be rendered either operative or inoperative by movementof the slide relative to the supporting element, and a member arranged to occupy selected fixed positions relative to the needle circle and.

arranged to be engaged by the slide whereby relative movement between the slide and supporting element occurs, said slide having a plurality of differently disposed portions engageable by the member in different selected positions whereby the amount of said relative movement is determined.

6. A knitting mechanism including a stationary circle of needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element, driving means for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting element about the'needles, said devices carried by the supporting element including a slide, a lowering picker, a switch cam, and connectionsbetween the lowering picker, switch cam and slide whereby the picker may be rendered either" '7. A knitting mechanism including a stationary circle of needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element,

driving means for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting element about the needles, said devices carried by the supporting element including a slide, a lowering picker, a switch cam, and connections between the lowering picker, switch cam and slide whereby the picker may be rendered either operative or inoperativeand the switch cam maybe moved to different positions by movement of the slide relative to the supporting element, and a member arranged to occupy selected fixed positions and adapted to be engaged by the slide whereby relative movement between the slide and supporting element occurs, said slide having a plurality of difierently disposed portions engageable by the member in different selected positions whereby the-amount of said relative movement is deter.-

mined. I

8. A knitting mechanism including astation ary circle of needles, includingboth longand short butt needles, and devices cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by-a movable supporting element, drivingmeans for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting; element about the needles, said devices carried by'the supporting element including a slide, a lowering picker, a switch cam, and connections between the loweringpicker, switch cam and slide whereby movement of the slide relative to, the supporting ,ele-- ment in one direction effects movement of the picker to an inoperative position between the levels or" the butts of active and'inactive needles and movement; of the switch cam to render the long butt needles inactive, and movements of the slide in the opposite direction first render the picker operative and then move the switch cam to lower inactive needles, and a member arranged to occupy selected fixed positions and adapted to be'engagedby the slide whereby relative move,- ment between the slide and supporting 'element occurs. V i i i 9. A knitting mechanism including a stationary circle of needles, including both long and short butt needles, and devices. cooperating therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a, movable supporting element,

[driving means for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting element about the needles, said devices carried by the supporting element including a slide, a lowering picker, a switch cam, and connections'between the lowering picker, switch cam and slide whereby movement of the slide relative to the supporting element in one direction efiects movement of the picker'to an inoperative position between the levels of the'butts of active and inactive needles and movement of the switch cam to render the long butt needles inactive, and movements. of the. slide in the opposite direction first render the picker operative and then move the switch cam to lower inactive needles, and a member arranged to occupy selected fixed positions and adapted to be engaged by the slide wherebyrelative movement between the slide and supporting element occurs, said slide having a plurality of difierently disposed portions engageable by the member in different selected positions whereby the amount of said relative movement is'determined. I

10. A knitting mechanismincluding a stationary circle of needles, and devices cooperating 14o therewith to form stitches, certain of said devices being carried by a movable supporting element, driving means for producing successive rotation and oscillation of the supporting element about the needles, said devices carried by the support- 145 ing element including a slide movable in a plane transverse to the axisof the needle circle, and a member arranged to occupy selected fixed positions relative to the needle circle and'arranged to be engaged by the slide whereby relative cir- 1 cumferential movement between the slide and supporting element occurs, said slide having a plurality of differently disposed portions engageable by the member in different selected positions whereby the amount of said relative movement is determined.

11. A knitting mechanism including a circle of needles, elements arranged to be oscillated forward and backward about said needles, one of said elements consisting of a circumferentially slidable cam controlling the operation of another" element, a member carried by the cam, pattern mechanism, and a device controlled by the pattern mechanism to engage the member and thereby slide the cam relatively to said other element while the elements are moving forward and also while they are moving backward.

12. A knitting mechanism including a circle of needles, elements arranged to be oscillated forward and backward about said needles, one of said elements consisting of a slidable cam controlling the operation of another element, a member carried by the cam, pattern mechanism, a device controlled by the pattern mechanism to engage the member, and means for holding the member in position for engagement with the device, said last named means releasing the member after a predetermined movement of the cam to break the engagement between the member and device.

, slidable cam controlling the operation of another element, a member carried by the cam, pattern mechanism and a device controlled by the pattern mechanism to engage and restrain the member and thereby slide said cam relatively to the other element while the elements are moving forward and also while they are moving backward.

14. A knitting mechanism including a circle of needles, elements arranged to be oscillated forward and backward about said needles, one of' said elements consisting of a slide controlling the operation of another of said elements, and a member arranged for projection into the path of said slide to move it relatively to said other element in a reverse direction to its direction of movement. a

15. A knitting mechanism including a circle of needles, elements arranged to be oscillated forward and backward about said needles, one of said elements consisting of a slide controlling the operation of another of said elements, and a member arranged for projection into the path of said slide to momentarily arrest its movement about the needles so that its position relative to the other elements is changed,

16. A knitting mechanism including a circle of needles, elements arrangedito be oscillated forward and backward about said needles, one of said elements consisting of a slide controlling the operation of another element, and a member arranged for projection into the path of said slide during its forward movement to change its position relative to the other elements, and during its backward movement to return it to its initial position.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN. 

